This invention relates to a flexible cover or sheath for fork lift tangs to prevent damage to plastic pallets when engaging, moving and placing them.
Very often, goods in containers such as boxes or bags are mounted on pallets for transportation and storage. The containers are generally secured to the pallets by straps, heavy duty plastic wrap or the like. The palletized containers are generally moved by forklifts.
Originally, pallets were made from two spaced wooden panels spaced apart by approximately 3 1/2 inch boards, secured together with nails or screws, so the tangs of a forklift could enter between the panels and lift the pallet and goods mounted thereon. Pallets could be damaged when, in attempting to insert the tangs into the narrow inter-panel space, the relatively sharp tang ends impacted the pallet structure. Damaged wooden pallets could be repaired by replacing damaged parts.
Today, many pallets have the same general configuration as the prior wooden pallets, but are formed from heavy duty plastic materials, with suitable reinforcements. These molded pallets are more expensive but usually longer lasting than wooden pallets. However, damage from impact by forklift tangs can be severe, since the plastic has less impact resistance than wood, and damaged portions cannot be conveniently replaced or repaired.
A number of different attachments and covers have been developed for forklift tangs for a variety of purposes. For example, Chew in U.S. Pat. No. 2,817,792 describes a plastic cover for forklift tangs to prevent sparking when striking or sliding on concrete, which can be a serious hazard in explosive atmospheres. Adjustable tang covers to aid in precisely stacking pallets, wood stacks and the like are described by Melin in U.S. Pat No. 3,551,628. A tang cover with a sharp wedge-like extension for lifting boxes from a floor is described in U.S. Pat. No. 2,905,349 by Repke.
Attempts have been made to protect pallets from impact damage by padding the leading edge of the tangs. Neuman, as detailed in U.S. Pat. No. 2,282,201, fastens a thick rope in a groove around a rounded tang leading edge. A tang tip cover of resilient material that is slipped over the tang and bolted in place is described by Allen et al. in U.S. Pat. No. 5,221,176. While somewhat helpful, the limited resiliency of these pads is insufficient to protect pallets from impact damage, especially the modern foamed plastic pallets. Further, pads that cover the entire tang provide undesirable thickness below the tang tip, so that the tang tip cannot be lowered to very close to a floor.
Thus, there is a continuing need for improved means for protecting pallets from damage due to impact by forklift tangs, which can be easily and conveniently put on and taken off tangs, does not add excessive thickness, is firmly held in place and resists damage to both a pallet and the tang protective means during impact.